On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the government would move to repossess all grabbed public land across the country, warning that land grabbers would not be asked twice to surrender it.
He made the remarks in Mombasa during the launch of the Kenya Coast Guard Service, where he was joined by Deputy President William Ruto. Uhuru said those holding public parcels should return them immediately or face eviction when the state begins a forceful recovery exercise.
The president said private developers had taken over public land and fish landing sites along the Coast and around Lake Victoria. He directed the National Land Commission and the Fisheries Department to recover the disputed plots before March the following year.
“We shall not plead with land grabbers to return public land. They must do so immediately before we embark on an exercise to reclaim them forcefully,” Uhuru said.
The remarks came against a backdrop of long-running allegations over grabbed land in Mombasa, including claims involving government operatives. The report also said Ruto owns Dolphin Hotel, which has been accused of occupying a public beach in Mombasa.
